“But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.” (Galatians 2:5)

When Paul and Barnabas spoke with the brethren in Jerusalem about accepting the Gentiles without requiring circumcision – it was an unpopular view.  Their lives became increasingly difficult because they refused to budge and accept circumcision.  Paul knew that if he would only compromise a little bit, life would get a lot easier… but it was a compromise he was unwilling to make.

We cannot afford to bend truth to the whims of culture or tradition because making that compromise removes the “truth of the gospel”.  The good news must remain preserved though the world would happily have us adjust and constantly pressures us to do so.

The gospel cannot be subject to man; man must be subject to the gospel.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

“Paul, an apostle, not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead.” (Galatians 1:1)

We cannot accept Jesus without accepting His apostles.  Paul made it clear that everything he wrote carried the full weight and authority of Jesus and His Father.  To accept Jesus is to accept the New Testament letters written by the apostles and prophets.

Jesus Himself said, “He who receives whomever I send receives Me, and he who receives Me, receives Him who sent Me.” (John 13:20)  There is a chain of authority that cannot be severed.  The Scriptures are linked to those who wrote them (the apostles and prophets), and the writers are linked to those who sent them (Jesus and the Father).

To read the Bible is to understand what Jesus wants us to know about Him and about life.  The Scriptures contain all things that pertain to life and godliness (see 2 Peter 1:3).

Matthew, Paul, Peter, and the other writers of the New Testament speak authoritatively about all things moral and eternal because they are authorized to do so.  Jesus stands by their words, and we must do likewise.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

“for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” (1 Corinthians 16:9)

Paul’s time in Ephesus was full of evangelistic opportunities, and the devil was not happy about it.  Adversity is the companion of opportunity.  One of the reasons that we ought to pray so diligently about life’s possibilities is because an opening for success also brings an opening for trials.  Satan is the great adversary who looks to block our progress and the progress of the gospel.

Ever wonder why just when you decide to make a change, life gets in the way?  Satan is why.  Tell me if any of these sound familiar:

You decide to become more consistent in your attendance just to have a bout of sickness knock your whole family out of commission one-by-one over the next month.

You decide to become a better financial steward only to have the transmission go out, the plumbing spring a leak, and an unexpected expense for your child’s education show up.

You decide to be a better spouse only to have fifteen work projects due ASAP added to your plate.

These aren’t coincidences – they are adversity.  The devil knows you are working, and he is working, too.  Adversity is a sign you are doing something effective.  Press on.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

“Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.” (1 Corinthians 14:20)

The current model for American education places a disturbing amount of emphasis upon teaching children about every possible form of sexual and moral deviancy.  Culturally, the trend seems to be more and more toward impressing young minds with the normalization of evil behavior.  Don’t judge; don’t question; just accept.

What the education system doesn’t normalize, the entertainment networks do.  By the time a young person reaches adulthood, it is quite likely they will have been introduced to legions of evils that will “educate” them in the ways of this world.  What they know will then be hard to unlearn.

Be careful to guard your mind against such forms of education.  There is nothing wrong with remaining as ignorant as infants regarding the evils of this world.  Some things are unworthy of putting within our minds and normalizing in our hearts.

Choose spiritual education for yourself – educate yourself in the ways of the King and the cross.  Fill your life with skills which lead to maturity of character.  We need more spiritual enlightenment and less evil indoctrination.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1)

A silver-tongued devil is still a devil.  Eloquence is no replacement for goodness.  There are many tricks and skills to improving your speech, but they all are no more than parlor tricks without the element of genuine interest and care.

Love adds sincerity to our speech.  Your care for those you are speaking with can be heard between the words, and your disdain will always speak with greater volume than your vocabulary.  It is the job of all Christians to choose love before we choose our words.  Love should be the foundation to all our speech.

If your goal is to make me look the fool, I won’t ever care how articulate your argument is.  If your desire is to understand and bless me, I will listen with rapt attention.  Others hear your motives. Speak (and post) accordingly.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

“On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor…” (1 Corinthians 12:22-23)

The body is made up of a composite of parts – some more honored than others.  The eyeball, the fingers, and the ear seem to receive a lot of honor because their functions are easily recognized and visible.  Other parts receive less honor. When was the last time you thought about your back muscles or your plantar fascia?  Yet, each of these parts become VERY important if they are injured.

Some Christians are the backs of the church; they just are consistently, dependably holding everything up.  Others are like the plantar fascia (the bottom of your foot); they keep things moving and smooth out all the little bumps along the way.

Don’t forget that the most integral work is often the work least honored.  You are needed.  Don’t undervalue the work you and others do.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

“For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.” (1 Corinthians 11:19)

The only benefit to division is that it allows us to see the difference between the two sides and decide which path contains truth.  If there was no division within religion, how could you decide what was right and wrong?  Instead, we can know them by their fruits.

When religious movements bear the fruits of scandal, abuse, denigration of children and/or women, corruption within leadership, or war and violence… those differences help you to realize those religions aren’t worthy of approval.

Factions let us get to the facts: What is the bedrock of their beliefs?  Who decides what is right or wrong? What is their source of authority… is it Scripture, tradition, or men?

I hate division and factions as much as the next guy, but even Paul admitted that division has one benefit: it lets us get to the bottom of things, so we can approve of what is right and condemn what is wrong.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man…” (1 Corinthians 10:13a)

The devil only has so many tricks of temptation.  He isn’t inventing new ones, just recycling and repackaging the old ones.  That means that temptation is neither unique nor exciting.  There is nothing more ordinary that a human facing temptation.  It is as routine as the sun rising.

The beauty of the ordinary is its predictability.  Since temptation is consistently all around us, we can begin to predict it and, therefore, avoid it.  Made bad choices yesterday when you got hungry? Snacks look a lot like spiritual armor tomorrow!

One reason that Christians should take fearless moral inventory of themselves is because self-awareness leads to a better ability to predict our triggers for sin.  The devil doesn’t have any new tricks, and if you can see them coming, you can avoid many of the traps he likes to set.  Journal your life for a week or two, and you will be surprised at how quickly the patterns emerge.

When you see the patterns, you also see the path to better outcomes.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.” (1 Corinthians 9:19)

Nobody made Paul a slave to all – he chose it.  There is a difference between becoming a resentful giver and a cheerful one.  Some people are slaves to everyone because they don’t know how to say, “No.”

That wasn’t Paul.  Paul knew what he was about, and He had a plan to win souls.  Serving others was based upon an endgame.  Paul asked himself how he could serve people in a way that glorified Jesus.

Paul was a free-born Roman citizen.  He chose slavery for Christ’s sake.  He chose slavery to men, so he could make men free.

Ask yourself two things today:

1. Am I serving by choice or through resentment?
2. Is my service leading people toward the light or me toward despair?

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites